In the East there is a marsh, called Dahuang.
In the legends of this continent, Dahuang Ze was a strange, isolated, backward, mysterious place—swamps everywhere, wild beasts roaming freely, where men and women went naked, and the people ate raw meat and drank blood… a barbarous wasteland.
Surrounded by swamps on all sides with terrain so treacherous that even birds could hardly cross, this vast territory remained hidden from the view of other nations. The surrounding countries of Da Yan, Dong Tang, and Nan Qi were filled with curiosity and ambition toward this mysterious land, yet could find no way to enter.
It wasn’t as if no countries had ever entertained ideas about Dahuang Ze—after all, the area occupied by Dahuang Ze far exceeded that of any current nation.
Of course, the dignified and righteous nations would never easily covet another’s territory. They had their own more dignified and righteous reasons.
“Neighboring people trapped in the swamps, you must surely be unable to eat your fill or dress warmly, and must desperately long for the free and prosperous life of the outside world! Now, we have come to save you!”
Yunlei City, a vassal of Da Yan, came!
Xi Fan, a vassal of Nan Qi, came!
They passionately called out across the swamp, expressing their beautiful intentions of wanting to rescue the people of Dahuang Ze from their dire living conditions. After greeting a few frogs and several snakes, they marched magnificently into Dahuang Ze.
One day later, in the endless swamp, the invaders fled in panic, leaving behind countless natural human sculpture remains.
The soldiers had barely entered three li into Dahuang Ze when half were burned away by the poisonous fire swamps, and the other half were frozen solid by the eerie ice swamps. Those black crystal-like ice swamps were beautiful and ethereal, sparkling with brilliant rainbow halos in the sunlight. However, the moment the soldiers’ boots touched that icy surface, they heard the faint sound of cracking. A tremendous suction force gripped their feet tightly, and a bone-chilling coldness instantly climbed from the soles of their feet to their hearts. With a sharp crack, their life force was severed.
In the end, thousands of people stood on that black earth in various eternal poses of movement, permanently warning all would-be invaders with restless ambitions.
From then on, the area around Dahuang Ze fell quiet.
The rulers of each nation all sheepishly rolled up their sleeves and found excuses to save face.
“No need to bother with that country—they’re all just savages!”
“They eat raw flesh and blood! Brothers share wives!”
“Brothers share wives! Fathers and sons also share wives!”
“Not only do they share wives, they share husbands too! Sisters share husbands! Mothers and daughters share husbands! Aunts and nieces all share husbands!”
“Their national strength is backward! Their government is incompetent! The people can’t eat their fill or dress warmly—one piece of clothing for the whole family! Pitiful!”
“But how do they go out on the streets?”
“Naked!”
“Ah! There must be many naked women—I want to go see—”
…
The noisy voices drifted across the gray-black swamps and gradually faded away.
Since the rulers of each nation couldn’t break into Dahuang Ze, upon reflection, with such godforsaken terrain, the people of Dahuang Ze couldn’t get out either, so there seemed to be no threat. When it came down to it, it was just a poor place full of swamps—even if the territory was large, what good would seizing it do?
Thus, the human sculptures on the ice swamps of Dahuang Ze stood there year after year. No one came to collect the bodies, and the people of Dahuang Ze didn’t seem to mind having a group of living statues at their doorstep. Occasionally, when great events occurred and the whole nation celebrated, they would even surge out to drape red silk and hang colorful decorations on these ice sculptures.
On a certain year, certain month, certain day.
In the depths of Dahuang Ze, ceremonial cannons boomed, and a large crowd surged out joyfully, hanging fresh flowers and colorful silk on those sculptures. The silk was exquisite with intricate patterns—in any other nation it would be worth a fortune, but here it was casually draped over a group of “human sculptures.”
“Haha! The Right State Preceptor has taken his position! We’re going to have a new queen! Celebrate! Celebrate!”
People danced, sang, drank, played drinking games, gambled, and had affairs around the flower-bedecked sculptures. When finished, they dispersed in a rush, leaving only those sculptures standing coldly on the ice swamp.
The flowers gradually withered, scattering yellowed and curled leaves across the ground.
The silk was eroded by wind and rain, becoming tattered as spider webs, fluttering forlornly in the wind.
After some time passed.
One day, ceremonial cannons thundered again in the depths of Dahuang Ze, with cheers like rolling thunder. A group of people happily surged out, tearing away the withered flowers and torn silk from the sculptures and replacing them with even more expensive and exquisite silk.
“Haha! The Right State Preceptor has established a new queen! The State Preceptor is beautiful and wise! The Queen comes from a prestigious family! Celebrate! Celebrate!”
Some silk was blown away by the wind and joyfully picked up by hunters outside, who took it to sell for money. When the people of Dahuang Ze learned of this, they clicked their tongues twice and threw out even more silk, hanging it on the sculptures’ crotches.
“Those idiots outside can’t eat their fill or dress warmly—quite pitiful really. Poverty relief! Poverty relief!”
After some more time passed.
One day, ceremonial cannons in the depths of Dahuang Ze exploded again, causing all the swamps to tremble. Even more people surged out, setting off fireworks toward the sculptures. The ice swamp was shaken until it was covered with scattered eggs rolling around with clinking sounds.
“Haha! The State Preceptor has taken a fancy to the Queen! Marry her! Marry her! Celebrate! Celebrate!”
After some more time passed.
A large crowd surged out…
“Haha! The Queen is pregnant! Give birth quickly! Celebrate! Celebrate!”
“Celebrate your ass! The Queen hasn’t even married the State Preceptor yet! We’re doomed! Doomed!”
After some more time passed.
A large crowd walked out solemnly with bowed heads, carrying plain flowers and white silk to drape over the gate-guarding sculptures.
Long white silk unfurled in the wind like the Right State Preceptor’s cold gaze, shrouding the entire area of Dahuang Ze.
“The Queen has passed away!”
“According to national law, we should search for the reincarnated Queen!”
“The Left State Preceptor observed the stars at night, cast divination, and consulted heaven, obtaining heavenly mandate instructions for the reincarnated Queen!”
“The Right State Preceptor says the Left State Preceptor is talking nonsense. This generation’s Queen bore sins, was punished by heaven for adultery, and will not reincarnate!”
“The Left State Preceptor says sins are forgiven upon death, and heavenly mandate instructions cannot be violated!”
“The Right State Preceptor also cast divination and consulted heaven, listing the location of the reincarnated Queen… Wow, Da Yan! At the handle of the Big Dipper constellation, then south for a hundred li. At that time, lightning will strike from heaven, the earth will collapse into great pits, gems will be scattered everywhere, flying discs will hover in the air, and there will be one woman, naked with black silk, born from the place where heaven collapses and earth splits… Hey, is this a person or a god? Do you think it’s possible?”
“Impossible. That’s why the Right State Preceptor agreed to let us go look.”
“Oh… we’re just going to look around?”
“Right, just look around.”
“Then shall we… look around?”
“Mm, look around.”
“For how long?”
“Just make a round trip. My seventh concubine happens to want me to buy some red ginseng from Da Yan.”
“That poor place has good stuff?”
“A basketful of gems should be able to buy something decent, right? We’re not short on money anyway.”
“Mm, just consider it poverty relief. Let’s go.”
“Let’s go find the reincarnated new Queen!”
…